Do you wave to people on canal boats?

[grannyinapram]

yabu - don't wave at strangers
yanbu - yes god damn it wave to the captain!

ps I've been waved to and I have waved. I am all for waving! I get sad if people don't wave back.

I have waved at empty or almost empty buses going past if I've had to go out the front for anything, got the odd wave back from the driver or the one passenger :-).

Yep! Especially now that I have chicken- boats, trains and tractors get a special wave!

I meant children, of course*

@Babyfg your post made me think about all the people me and my children wave at. My 3 year old loves waving to people on busses which is cute but not so much when I wave out of habit and she’s not with me

Love this thread, it’s made me want to start waving at everyone :)

Yes definitely wave to canal boats going past. I have always wanted a canal boat myself. People are generally chilled out friendly people on the canals. and usually acknowledge people on the towpaths.

Yep I'm a waver too

I remember when I was walking past a canal boat and I was holding a red bull I was about 14 and a woman said 'I hope that's booze!!!' definitely not I don't even look legal

My best wave was when I got a call from a friend who said " whatcha doing?" I was in Tate Modern at the time and she said "No! Im just about to go past on a boat!"

So I tore up to the cafe balcony and stood there waving like a lunatic with my phone clamped to my ear saying " I see you! I see you!" while a tiny figure on a boat in the distance stood waving her jacket round her head in response.

Still makes me laugh to think about. Waving is great.

You have to wave, it’s the law. 🙋🏻‍♀️

I have a cruiser and always love it when people on the towpath or other boats or passenger boats wave.

I have to restrain myself from waving at the same car as one I’m in quite a bit - quite unusual and it’s lovely to see another. I was brought up as a kid to definitely wave at the same car - family car was unusual and having one meant we were likely to be in the same ‘driving community’ as others driving it. We almost always got waves back.
Canal boats - have spent a fair bit of time walking river towpaths and watching locks. I tend not to wave partic locks as often new boaters often are preoccupied. If no one else at all is around then maybe a nod but otherwise I think someone going for a quiet cruise isn’t likely to want everyone waving all the time.
Walkers - always say hello when meeting in remote area. Find it really odd when you are miles from anywhere not to. Always single walkers more likely to have good quick chat with. Couples often aloof.
Babies/toddlers grumbling - say in a queue where I am almost always give a silly wave and face. Sometimes goes badly wrong and increases upset ! Have reduced how much I do this. When it works and a big beam breaks out there’s nothing better.

This thread has just restored my faith in humanity. Thank you OP.

I am a massive waver - boats, tractors, bus drivers wearing a nice tie

I used to live on a boat. I hated it. And there were lots of weirdos.

garlictwist ‘weirdos’. I came quite close to buying a canal boat - viewed it etc. In the end although I’d love to live on a boat I had strong feelings ‘the community’ would bring a mix of the lovely and the downright weird. Not so difficult to a street but with less ability to shut your door when needed.

They don't wave back often because they are probably sick of it. So I stopped.

We have a day boat. While out on the river I wave at passing boats, any kids looking at us & I wave back to anyone who waves at us. Why wouldn't you?

Yes, and I wave to children on steam trains if they wave at me.

I might wave back if waved at and not in a grumpy mood.

I don't live near a canal to wave.
My DC's were hugely embarrassed when I waved at the low air ambulance / chinooks. Despite them saying they can see us when we wave.

Only if I'm with DD, however she does get upset if she doesn't get a wave back...

Always!!!! We also wave at the police. The twice I have been pulled over for a random check, I always encouraged the kids to chat with the police (while I pull my car apart looking for documents).

I live a good wave, and have been known to do it and pull daft faces and people in cars who look like they might need a smile.

I love waving! Glad to see there are plenty of us lunatics out there.

From boats and from ride on and steam trains at children and anyone waving. Doing both very frequently I feel obliged.

I don't have a canal boat, but when I pass another boat when sailing I always wave (unless I'm too busy tacking or whatever). It's lovely to wave and be waved at!